Marcus Smart making slow progress from oblique tear

The Celtics guard is expected to be on the bench for Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers Wednesday night, offering tips as his teammates bid for a 2-0 series lead.

BOSTON – He was unable to leave home and make an appearance at the Celtics’ first playoff game last Sunday afternoon.

Marcus Smart was still in too much pain one week after suffering a partially torn oblique, so the Celtics starting guard watched on television as his team overtook the Indiana Pacers, 84-74.

When the Celtics and Pacers meet in Game 2 Wednesday night at the TD Garden, though, Smart will be sitting on the bench, offering encouragement and tips.

It is not that he has made drastic progress in last few days, but Smart is feeling a bit better and will be able to be on hand when the Celtics bid for a 2-0 series lead (7:05 p.m., TV: TNT and NBC Sports Boston; radio: WROR-FM/105.7).

Smart attended the Celtics’ Tuesday afternoon practice session at the Auerbach Center and met with the media for the first time since suffering the injury when he collided with Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic on April 7.

“Today was my first day being able to walk without grimacing in pain,’’ said Smart, who was moving slowly around the gym and said he needed help getting out of a chair earlier in the week. “It still hurts real bad for me to laugh, to cough, to sneeze.

“I actually feel better than the first three or four days (but) still in pain with certain movements.’’

Smart, who was hurt in the third quarter of the next-to-last regular-season game, is expected to be sidelined at least a month and up to six weeks. The Celtics are probably going to have to make it to the Eastern Conference finals for him to play again this season.

All Smart can do as his team takes part in the postseason is wait for the oblique to heal, and he is limited to sitting in the pool at the team’s practice facility for now with the hope of increasing activity in two weeks.

“That’s probably the most frustrating part,’’ said Smart. “You’ve just got to sit there knowing there’s nothing you can do or there’s nothing that no one can really do. You’ve got to kind of sit there and go through it. Being out here watching these guys and not being on the floor makes it even more tough for me.

“I’ve kind of been stressing a bit not being on the court, plus with the injury, and there’s nothing I can do. That is very frustrating. You’ve just got to take it day-by-day. Unfortunately with this injury, there’s nothing really that anybody can do. Just kind of let your body heal itself.’’

Smart is planning to be active on the bench, pointing out things that he sees to the Celtics, something that coach Brad Stevens is all for.

“Anything that he can do to lessen my load, I’m good,’’ said Stevens after practice. “He’s got a good mind on him. He’s always been a guy who can think the game. He’s an inspiring guy to be around. He’s got good passion. He’s a natural born kind of leader and talker and he’s got a great instinct for the game.

“He’s got good ideas, he’s got good thoughts. I know our guys appreciate that and value that in him so it’s good to have him back in the gym and be around.’’

Smart said he appreciates the encouragement he has been receiving from Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, who both missed the entire playoff run last season with injuries.

“It (stinks) being hurt in the playoffs,’’ said Irving. “As much as you want to stay connected to the team and stay engaged, you’re dealing with an injury at the same time. You’re not getting a chance to play the game you love.

“I understand how hard it is. I know hard it is mentally going home and this is around the time where everybody’s watching. You want to play your best basketball. We’ve got a few more wins to get (in order for Smart to be able to return). Six weeks is not that long a time. I think I can manage until then.’’

Smart was hurt when he was on defense and ran into Vucevic. He was in pain and went to the bench during a timeout, then returned to the court. But in a matter of seconds, Smart collapsed to the floor and had to be helped to the locker room.

“I’ve been hit multiple times in the same area and really it’s just a deep bruise and I go back out there,’’ said Smart. “It was weird. I took an extra step and I thought I was fine and all of a sudden I felt like somebody stabbed me with a knife and I went down.

“When I came back in, I thought I was fine. When I tried to get in a defensive stance I felt something pull and that’s when I knew. The more steps I took I could feel something stabbing me and that’s when I dropped to the ground. It was real painful.’’

And now it’s just a waiting game for Smart as he tries to heal as fast as possible while hoping the Celtics can win a couple of series without him.

“I really need to walk fluidly, breathe more fluidly and just do every day things around the house like getting up,’’ he said. “I couldn’t get up. I needed help the last four or five days.

“The next mark to see where I’m at is probably in two weeks and hopefully it’s progressed more than now and hopefully I can start running or jogging by then and hopefully shoot a basketball. That’s what I’m trying to get to.’’